Set of containers

ABSTRACT

In a set of containers consisting of a first container with a container neck comprising an external thread and an opening and a second container comprising an opening, whereby the container neck of the first container can be brought into a positive locking connection with the opening of the second container, the opening of the second container comprises a plurality of toothlike protrusions on its inner circumference spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction and extending transversely to the axis of the opening, which protrusions can be brought into engaging connection with the external thread of the first container.

Priority is claimed to Austria App. No. A230/2007, filed Feb. 14, 2007,and contents thereof are incorporated by reference herein.

The invention relates to a set of containers consisting of a firstcontainer with a container neck comprising an external thread and anopening and a second container comprising an opening, whereby thecontainer neck of the first container can be brought into a positivelocking connection with the opening of the second container.

Such a set of containers has become known from the EP 572645 B1. Such adevice serves for the mixing of two different, separately storedproducts and in this device a collapsible tube having a tube neck withan external thread is provided, which can cooperate with the opening ofa container having an internal thread, in order to allow for thetransgression of the content of the one collapsible tube into theinterior of the other collapsible tube, whereby the design of theengaging parts can be in a way as to break open on assembly optionallyprovided seals on one of the two containers to be put together. Such adevice shows certain disadvantages regarding handling. For one it isenvisaged in such a device that both containers to be put together haveexact complementary threads, which naturally confines the flexibility ofsuch a system in that the two containers have to be exactly matched withregard to the design of their threads. Furthermore, by the use ofthreads a screwing-together is necessary for the achievement of a stableconnection, which naturally involves a relatively coordinated handlingif not multiple regrips on at least one of the containers during thescrewing-in procedure. Moreover, it does not seem desirable in aconnection of two containers, whose content should be mixed with eachother, to establish an airtight connection, as it normally would be thecase by the use of threads. In such a case the squeezing of the contentof the one container, which for example is designed as a collapsibletube, into the other container would be greatly impeded due to rise inpressure, such that the leakage of the excess pressure would bedesirable in this context.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a set ofcontainers, in which the connection of the two containers is achieved ina particularly flexible and easy manner, whereby the rise in pressure inthe container, which should be filled with the content of the othercontainer, should be prevented.

To solve this object according to the invention, it is envisaged thatthe opening of the second container comprises a plurality of toothlikeprotrusions on its inner circumference spaced apart from each other inthe circumferential direction and extending transversely to the axis ofthe opening, which protrusions can be brought in engaging connectionwith the external thread of the first container.

By the opening of the second container comprising a plurality oftoothlike protrusions on its inner circumference spaced apart from eachother in the circumferential direction and extending transversely to theaxis of the opening, which protrusions can be brought into engagingconnection with the external thread of the first container, it ispossible to achieve a higher flexibility regarding the compatibility ofthe separate components as an internal thread having a defined lead isnot used in this case. Only protrusions are envisaged that can cooperatewith a thread with a lead arbitrary over a wide range, such thatbasically only the diameter of the container neck having the externalthread is of importance for use with the second container having theprotrusions.

Another advantage of such an embodiment lies therein, that contrary tosystems, in which conventional threads are in use, it is possible to dowithout the screwing-together of both containers. As the engagement ofthe toothlike protrusions is effected merely in one plane of the threadand the thread does not cooperate along the whole lead with a counterthread, the container neck having the external thread can easily beinserted into the opening by using a relatively small effort and by theelastic giving way of the comparatively small dimensioned toothlikeprotrusions and can there be snapped into place. An intricatescrewing-together of the two containers can thus be avoided, which seemsto be desirable in particular for the use of the set of containers forproducts for single use, which are in use for example in the field ofcosmetics or hair care.

The embodiment is hereby devised such that the toothlike protrusions arearranged in a plane orthogonal to the axis of the opening, whereby asufficient positive locking is achieved. Thus it is not necessary toprovide a thread in the opening of the second container.

The arrangement of the toothlike protrusions according to the inventionprovides in a simple manner the possibility for venting and in thiscontext it is envisaged that between the toothlike protrusions ventingcross sections are provided in each case. These venting cross sectionsensure that air pressed out of the second collapsible tube by theintroduction of the content of the first collapsible tube can escapebetween the protrusions without problems. In this context, it is alsoconceivable to provide embossments in the projection of the protrusionsin direction of the axis towards the upper brim of the opening withrespect to the diameter such that even if the diameter of the externalthread of the container neck of the first container comes into fullcontact a sufficient venting is safeguarded.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the opening of the secondcontainer is devised such that it has merlons on its upper brim in axialextension of the protrusions. In such an embodiment, even during hardpressing-on of the first container onto the opening of the secondcontainer, whereby naturally a tight screwing-together action is alsoconceivable, it is safeguarded that a sealing connection between theupper brim of the second container and the shoulder joining thecontainer neck of the first container cannot occur so that the necessarypressure release during the introduction of the content of the onecontainer into the other one is ensured.

In a particularly advantageous manner the merlons are hereby devisedsuch that the merlons extend radially outwardly from the innercircumference of the opening. Such an embodiment gives the merlons anincreased rigidity such that even an inadvertent hard pressing-on orscrewing-in of the first container onto the opening of the secondcontainer a sufficient venting is safely achieved in the region of theupper brim of the opening of the second container.

The inventive device is advantageously devised such, that theprotrusions are designed having a thickness decreasing radiallyinwardly, whereby the thickness hereby denotes the thickness of thetoothlike protrusions in the direction of the axis of the opening of thesecond container. The design of the protrusions having a radiallyinwardly decreasing thickness leads to the fact, that the protrusionshave a certain sharpness with respect to a thread, which is screwed intothe opening of the second container, which is of paramount importance inparticular if differing materials are used for the two containersaccording to the invention, whereby a material of greater hardness canfor example be chosen for the second container. In this case thetoothlike protrusions can even carve into the thread on the outercircumference of the container neck of the first container and allow agreater flexibility with respect to the leads of the threads, which canbe used in the system according to the invention.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the set of containers is devisedsuch, that the opening is formed in a container neck provided with anexternal thread. In this way, the inventive opening of the secondcontainer can be closed in the conventional manner with a tube cap,which is particularly desirable with respect to a lasting storage of theconstituent components or the mixture.

The invention will now be described with respect to an embodimentschematically illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In this FIG. 1 shows a side view partially in section of the set ofcontainers,

FIG. 2 a view in the assembled state and

FIG. 3 a plan view of a container having the opening according to theinvention.

In FIG. 1 a set of containers is denoted by 1, which consists of a firstcontainer 2 and a second container 3, whereby the first container 2features a container neck 4 with an external thread. The secondcontainer 3 features a container neck with an opening 5, on the innercircumference of which toothlike protrusions 6 are formed. The toothlikeprotrusions 6 can be brought into engaging connection with the containerneck 4 of the first container 2 having the external thread both bypressing-in and srewing-in. The upper brim 7 of the opening 5 of thesecond container 3 features merlons 8, which prevent a sealing abutmentof the shoulder 9 of the first container 2. The merlons are herebybroadening radially outwardly, which awards them an increased stability.

In FIG. 2 the container set 1 is shown in the assembled state, wherebyit can clearly be seen, that the merlons 8 keep the shoulder 9 of thefirst container 2 away from the upper brim 7 of the second container 3,whereby keeping-free of the venting cross sections is safeguarded.

In FIG. 3 the venting cross sections between the toothlike protrusions 6are denoted by 11.

1-15. (canceled)
 16. A set of containers, comprising: a first containercomprising a container neck which comprises an external thread and anopening, and a second container comprising an opening, wherein thecontainer neck of the first container is adapted to engage in a positivelocking connection with the opening of the second container, and theopening of the second container comprises a plurality of toothlikeprotrusions on an inner circumference of said opening of the secondcontainer, said toothlike protrusions being spaced apart from each otherin a circumferential direction, and extending transversely to an axis ofthe opening of the second container, and said toothlike protrusionsbeing adapted to engage with the external thread of the first containerby plugging-on or screwing-in.
 17. The set of containers according toclaim 16, wherein the toothlike protrusions are arranged in a planeorthogonal to the axis of the opening of the second container.
 18. Theset of containers according to claim 16, further comprising ventingcross sections positioned between the toothlike protrusions.
 19. The setof containers according to claim 16, wherein the opening of the secondcontainer comprises merlons positioned on an upper brim of said openingof the second container, in axial extension of the toothlikeprotrusions.
 20. The set of containers according to claim 19, whereinthe merlons extend radially outwardly from the inner circumference ofthe opening of the second container.
 21. The set of containers accordingto claim 16, wherein the toothlike protrusions have a radially inwardlydecreasing thickness.
 22. The set of containers according to claim 16,wherein the opening of the second container is formed in a containerneck comprising an external thread.
 23. The set of containers accordingto claim 16, wherein one or more of the first container and the secondcontainer are collapsible tubes.
 24. A container for use in a set ofcontainers, comprising an opening that comprises a plurality oftoothlike protrusions on an inner circumference of said opening of thecontainer, said toothlike protrusions being spaced apart from each otherin a circumferential direction, and extending transversely to an axis ofthe opening of the container, wherein said toothlike protrusions areadapted to engage with an external thread positioned on a container neckof a second container by plugging-on or screwing-in.
 25. The containeraccording to claim 24, wherein the toothlike protrusions have a radiallyinwardly decreasing thickness.
 26. The container according to claim 24,further comprising venting cross sections positioned between thetoothlike protrusions.
 27. The container according to claim 24, whereinthe opening of the container comprises merlons positioned on an upperbrim of the opening, in axial extension of the toothlike protrusions.28. The container according to claim 24, wherein the merlons extendradially outwardly from the inner circumference of the opening.
 29. Thecontainer according to claim 24, wherein the opening is formed in acontainer neck comprising an external thread.
 30. The containeraccording to claim 24, wherein the container is a collapsible tube. 31.The set of containers according to claim 17, further comprising ventingcross sections positioned between the toothlike protrusions.
 32. The setof containers according to claim 17, wherein the opening of the secondcontainer comprises merlons positioned on an upper brim of said openingof the second container, in axial extension of the toothlikeprotrusions.
 33. The set of containers according to claim 17, whereinone or more of the first container and the second container arecollapsible tubes.
 34. The set of containers according to claim 18,wherein one or more of the first container and the second container arecollapsible tubes.
 35. The set of containers according to claim 19,wherein one or more of the first container and the second container arecollapsible tubes.